Watch-dial fastener



N0. 6|3,556. Patented Nov. I898. J. W. BROWN.

WATCH DIAL FASTENER.

(Application filed June 12, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES M. BROWN, OF ORTONVILLE, MINNESOTA.

WATCH=DEAL FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,556, dated November1, 1898.

Application filed Tune 12, 1897- Serial No. 640,534.- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs VM. BROWN, of Ortonville,in the county of BigStone and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Eccentric Dial-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for watch-dials, theobject of the same being to provide a device or devices of thischaracter which will effectually secure the dial in positive engagementwith the watch-plate, the fasteners being of such construction that theywill act to draw the dial in close engagement with the plate.

To this end the invention consists of a fastener presenting cams oreccentrically-pivoted plates carried by the watch-plate and adapted toengage recesses in one side of the feet or pins which project from thedial, the cams having an inclined surface upon which the feet ride, arecess and shoulder being provided to limit the throw of the cams, aswell as hold the same by frictional contact.

In the following specification I have entered into a detaileddescription of the invention, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to numerals thereon which designate the difierent parts,and what I consider to be the novel features of construction arespecifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a planview of a watchplate having my improved fastening device attachedthereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the watch plate and dial,the latter being fastened in place. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed Viewof one of the cams. Fig. 4 is an edge View of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a planView of the watch-plate, illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the watch-plate, and2 the dial, the latter having projecting feet 3 extending from the backthereof. These feet are provided on one side with recesses l, presentinga straight shoulder, upon which the fastening device hereinafterdescribed bears in securing the said dial in place.

5 designates my improved fastener or looking-plate, which is of peculiarconfiguration to present a cam-surface 6 on one side of its bearing anda projection or operating end 7 on the other side of said bearing, thelatter having a curved edge 8, corresponding with the curve of thedepressed periphery of the watch-plate, and at the end of said curvedportion the locking-plate is beveled, as shown at 9, from which extendsa straight edge 10. This locking plate or cam is connected to thewatch-plate to have a swinging movement thereon by a machine-screw 10,having a shoulder 11 adjoining its head, the said shoulder forming thebearing-surface for the cam. The cams are pivoted upon the watch-plateadjoining the holes 12 therein, through which the feet of the dial pass,and the parts of the cams which engage the recess a in said feet areprovided at their under sides with an inclined surface so disposed thatit will ride upon the shoulder forming the bottom of the recess in thefeet. Thus when the cams are brought into engagement with the feet ofthe dial they will not only look the same,but the inclined surfaceshereinbefore mentioned will tend to draw the dial tightly and firmlyagainst the watch-plate. The cams are arranged near the edge of thewatch-plate and the operating end so disposed that when the cams aredisengaged from the feet the said ends will be projected beyond theperiphery of the watch-plate, and when the cams are thrown to the limitof their movement in their opposite direction the curved surface 8 willbe flush with the depressed periphery of the watch-plate, while thestraight portion 10 bears against a stop and the bevel 9 provides forthe insertion of an implement in operating the cam. The upper face ofthe cam is provided with a beveled portion 13, adjoining a slot 14:, andforms a tongue that enters a recess in the watch-plate and acts to holdthe cam in locked engagement by frictional contact.

Though I have shown the cams or fasteners applied to a watch-platehaving a raised edge with slots through which the operating ends of saidcams pass, it is evident that the cams could be located upon the underside of the watch-plate, or in case a thick watch-plate is used theycould be let into recesses at the edges thereof. It will be noted thatwhen the cams are locked in engagement with the feet of the dial theoperating ends are brought flush with the periphery of the watch-plate,and when the said plate is placed within the watchcase a movement of thecams will be positively prevented. This peculiar manner of connectingthe dial to the watch-plate provides a fastening for the purpose whichwill properly hold the dial in place and will draw the same tightlyagainst the watch-plate to prevent any movement or rattling of the same.The construction also provides for readily and conveniently removing thedial-plate in repairing the watch.

In the modification I have shown an arrangement by which instead ofproviding a number of cams or fasteners one is connected to circularstrip 15 upon the watch-plate by screws 16, which engage slots therein,the ends of the said strip having inwardly-projecting portions 17 17,which engage the recesses in the feet when the cam 18, which controlsthe movement of the strip, engages its foot. The cam 18 is of the sameconstruction as the cams 5 and is let into a recess in the under side ofthe curved strip, engaging the end walls of the recess in the said stripas the cam is operated. It will be noted that the projections 1.7 at theends of the strip 15 are disposed on opposite sides of the holes throughwhich the dial-feet pass, so as to properly engage said feet.

It will be understood, of course, that though I have described myinvention as being applied to a watch-dial the same device could beemployed in securing the dials of larger timepieces in engagement withthe backingplate, though the fastener is particularly adapted forwatches, as the dial is usually very thin.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fastening for watch-dials, the combination, of the watch-platehaving a hole therein, a cam-plate or eccentric, pivoted to thewatch-plate adjoining the hole, and an operating arm or member extendingfrom said cam or eccentric; the end of the arm being curved tocorrespond with the periphery of the watch-plate; together with thedial-foot having a recess or shoulder, the cam-plate being so locatedthat the end of the operating-arm will be flush with the periphery ofthe watch-plate when the cam is in engagement with the foot, andprojected beyond the same when the cam is disengaged, for the purposeset forth.

2. In a fastening for watch-dials, the combination, of the watch-platehaving a hole therein and a recess or depression adjoining the hole, acam-plate or eccentric pivoted to the watch-plate, a spring-tongue onthe cam adapted to engage the depression or recess in the watch-plate,and an operating arm or member extending from said cam through one sideof the watch-plate; in combination with the dial-foot having a recess orshoulder.

3. In a fastening for watch-dials, the corn bination, of the watch-platehaving a hole therein and a recess or depression adjoining said hole, acam-plate or eccentric having an inclined surface at its outer edge, aspringtongue on said cam-plate formed by an openended slot in the edgethereof, and an arm or member extending from the cam-plate or eccentric,the outer end of said arm being curved to correspond with the peripheryof the watchplate being flush therewith when the camplate is turned inone direction and projected beyond the same when said cam plate isthrown in the other direction, together with the dial-foot having arecess or shoulder, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JAS. WM. BROWN. Witnesses:

HAYDEN FRENCH, A. B. OLANoY.

